Drugs, alcohol suspected in deadly Sunday afternoon wreck
DERRICK PERKINS | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 year, 3 months AGO
NEWS EDITOR Derrick Perkins serves as News Editor at the Daily Inter Lake. He oversees daily news coverage and works closely with reporters to plan, edit and publish stories across print and digital platforms. Perkins helps coordinate coverage of local government, public safety, business and community developments throughout Northwest Montana. He works with the reporting staff to strengthen journalism while maintaining consistent daily coverage. His role helps ensure the newsroom delivers timely, accurate reporting that readers rely on. IMPACT: Derrick’s work keeps readers informed about the decisions and events shaping their communities every day. | May 19, 2025 9:05 AM
A 38-year-old Columbia Falls man was killed in what authorities suspect was a drug or alcohol-fueled wreck on Montana 35 near Kalispell on Sunday afternoon.
The man was driving in the southbound lane in a Chevrolet Equinox when he allegedly crossed the center line near mile marker 46 at 3:18 p.m. and collided with a Dodge Ram headed in the other direction, according to Montana Highway Patrol. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
The 38-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt, authorities said.
The two men in the Dodge Ram, a 41-year-old driver and a 46-year-old passenger, were both injured in the collision and hospitalized at Logan Health Medical Center. The 46-year-old was not wearing a seatbelt, officials said.
Authorities described the road conditions at the time of the wreck as wet.
News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or [email protected].
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